[u][b]Windsor - Statehouse - Office of the Speaker of the IRD House[/b][/u] "You understand your orders?", Speaker Herring-Warren barked at the two nervous men standing before her desk. "do you understand how important it is to our plans that you don't fuck this up?" "Yes, Madam Speaker", Chuck Wendig, her Chief of Staff, replied, nervously tugging at his beard as he received his third tongue-lashing from his volatile and sadistic Boss today. "Agent Mueller has been fully briefed, he'll take care of this...um, matter, discreetly." "For fuck's sake, Charles", Herring-Warren replied irritably, stressing the syllables of his name, "Can you at least talk like you have a pair of balls for once?". She then turned to the other man, a tall, gaunt figure with flint-cold eyes. His icy indifference to her tirade at her aide, whom she frankly enjoyed tormenting, calmed her down somewhat. Mueller was a sociopathic killer, his position in the Federal Political Police had served the Church well over the years...unlike her gormless aide, she had full faith in his ability. "How about you, Henry?", she added, almost affably. "General Stone ordered that Pendergast be eliminated immediately, Madam Speaker", Mueller replied. "To better do your Will....may I ask why we are changing the plan?" "Because he's a fool...", the Speaker said, "...Pendergast gives us the perfect opportunity to lay Traowski's and Bouley's "tragic" deaths at the feet of the Brotherhood. You'll see to it he's found dead at the scene with the murder weapon. It doesn't have to stand up to forensic examination....with them dead, I'll be President and the investigation will say what I need it to say." She then added, "He wanted to sacrifice that opportunity to his martyr complex...by the time the Brotherhood arrives I'll have the streets ablaze to greet them." "I see now, Madame Speaker", Mueller replied, his normally grim features breaking out into a mirthless smile, "You can count on me. I will need assistance bringing him in without being seen, however." "Take Charles with you", the Speaker said with a dismissive gesture at her aide, "Even for him, it's a simple matter to get you access to the tunnels under the Statehouse, from there you can get wherever you need to go." She then added in conclusion, "Now go...I have a meeting with the Minority Leader, I can't wait to see the look on that insufferable prick's face when they come for him." [u][b] Near the Stonecroft Inn, Central Windsor[/b][/u] "Mueller, Federal Political Police", Mueller said icily as he flashed his ID at the sentry, "We have a Warrant for the arrest of the Brotherhood official at the Stonecroft." "I'll have to clear that with my commander", the corporal in command of the checkpoint said, "Wait here, please." Taking his ID, the corporal went to a nearby emplacement and placed a call from a field telephone. After a brief conversation, the corporal waved Mueller over, and handed him his ID card and the receiver. "Inspector Mueller, Federal Political Police", Mueller said, "whom do I have the honor of addressing." "Captain Kowalski, Fifth Infantry Battalion", said a exhausted voice, "I was directed to seal off the area, nothing was said about an arrest." "I apologize, Captain", Mueller said soothingly, "But this is a delicate political matter. We have evidence Pendergast has been passing information to the Enemy....President Traowski has ordered his arrest." "What?", Kowalski scoffed, "That's nuts! The Brotherhood hates the Cult, why would they help them defeat us?" "It's above my paygrade to speculate on that", Mueller replied, "But it would explain a lot of things, wouldn't it?" After a pause, he added, "I find it hard to believe as well....but if you contact General Stone, he can confirm the warrant has been issued." "Very well", Kowalski said, "Wait, please". Mueller waited, receiver to his ear, regarding the nervous behavior of his companion, Wendig, with increasing irritation. It was little wonder Wendig had never made it past the Outer Circle in the Church...try as he might...at heart the man was a rank coward. He had begun to idly wonder if the Speaker would be that upset if he had a "accident" when Kowalski came back on the line. "I've confirmed it with General Stone", Kowalski said, "I was authorized to detail a squad to assist if you need." Mueller looked at the police detail, six uniformed Federal Police, and another Plainclothes officer like himself, and smiled slightly. More than enough to deal with one man. "I appreciate your cooperation, Captain", Mueller said, "But I have things under control here, and you have more important concerns than one suspected spy." [u][b] Wardroom - Monitor Relentless- off Stag Island, St Clair River[/b][/u] "What happened?", Commodore Hackett asked. "Where is Pendergast?" "The Cult has overrun most of Detroit, Commodore", said Scribe Whitby, leader of the group the flotilla had picked up heading up the St Clair as they descended it. "After they burned the Embassy to the ground, Pendergast took the Mendez's with him to the Windsor side to try to get in to see Traowski after they got us passage out of the city." Noticing his confusion, Whitby added, "Ernesto and Julia Mendez, the Knight detachment. They're married." "Right", Hackett said, checking the chart on the table before them. "We won't be in range of their suit radios for a couple hours yet...unless...." He looked at Barrett, "Signal LST-20 and tall them to prep a drone, we need to get in touch with Pendergast and find out what kind of welcome we're going to get when we arrive." "Aye, sir", Barrett replied. [u][b] Stonecroft Inn - Room 304[/b][/u] Pendergast paced the foor, as he listened to the radio. The reports were not good...apparently Detroit south of Ten Mile Rd was overrun, and yet another headlong assault across the Ambassador bridge was currently underway. It was shocking to him how things had come to this....the IRD was on the brink of being swept away, in spite of all it's latent strength. It was almost as if they wanted to die. How Traowski would turn this around was beyond him, he was pessimistic that the IRD could even be saved at this point. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud pounding at the door. "Who is it?", Pendergast asked, "I didn't request room service." "Inspector Mueller, Federal Political Police", came a voice through the door. "I need to speak with you at once!" Pendergast looked through the peephole in the door, seeing what appeared to be two plainclothes Detectives. He unlocked the door and opened it, and stepped back as the pair walked in, followed by a third man, a bestectacled man with a full beard, who he remembered from the Statehouse....Weinnig? "What can I do for you gentlemen?", Pendergast asked, as Mueller and his companion displayed their badges. "I was not expecting you." "Ambassador", Mueller said, "We have been sent by the President. We have received credible intelligence that an attempt is planned on your life...we are here to escort you to a secure location." "Very well", Pendergast said as he reached for the radio to turn it off, which he hoped would get the attention of the Knights in the room next door. But before he could flip the switch, the usual broadcast was interrupted. "We interrupt this program for Breaking News!", the announcer said excitedly, "We are receiving reports from the statehouse that the President has been assassinated!" As the broadcaster continued, Pendergrast looked over at the two policemen in horror. For a long moment, they looked at each other, then without a word, both Mueller and his companion began to reach under their coats for their pistols. Reflexively, Pendergast reached for his laser rifle, leaning against the side of the dresser the radio sat on, fotunately out of their sight. Grabbing the rifle by it's collimator tube, he pulled it up, grabbing the pistol grip and smashing the butt of the rifle with all the force he could muster into the face of the policeman standing next to Mueller, causing him to stumble into Mueller, spoiling the draw of both men. Quickly reversing the rifle, he shot both men through the chest, then turned his rifle towards the open door. The bearded man just stood there, his mouth agape, until he was violently shoved out of the way by a uniformed policeman, his pistol drawn. Pendergast shot him before he could line up a shot, the policeman shouting out with pain and firing a round as he fell. From the hall, Pendergast heard voices. "He's armed", a voice shouted, "He got Mueller and Brunner....get the others up here!" He could hear people running up the stairs. As he was thinking of what to do next, the door to the next room flew open, and a Armored Knight burst into the room. The Knight glanced at the two plainclothesmen on the floor, casually shooting Mueller in the head as he attempted to level his pistol at Pendegast. "Julie's suiting up now, sir", Mendez said, "Go in our room with her, I've got this." Obeying, Pendergast entered the room, finding Mrs Mendez, stark naked and soaking wet, apparantly she had been in the shower, stepping into her suit. Outside, he heard more shots, and panicked shouting as the remaining assassins realized they had bitten off a lot more than they could chew. "What happened?", she asked Pendergast. "Traowsky has been Assassinated", he said, "They sent people after me....I don't think they knew about you and Ernesto." "Just when you think these people couldn't be anymore fucked up", Julie grumbled, "they have to go and surprise you. We need to get the hell out of here....now" "Agreed", Pendergast said, as he followed her out into the hall. The bearded man was cowering next to the wounded uniformed policeman sprawled on the floor. Pendergast grabbed him by his necktie and pulled him to his feet, shoving him against the wall....terrified of Julie, imposing in her power armor, he didn't resist. Noticing the lanyard around his neck and ID card, he flipped it around and glanced at it. "This guy is a Congressional Staffer", Pendergast said with a mixture of shock and disgust, "We're keeping this one...the others, not so much." "Sounds good to me", Julie said, putting a shot through the head of the policeman with her laser rifle. "Hold on a minute, Ernesto says that someone on the ground floor is lighting up those mooks from behind....." [u][b] Second floor stairwell[/b][/u] Ernesto, chasing the remaining cops down the stairs, stopped as the remaining two cops were cut down with automatic weapons fire coming from the foyer as they tried to bolt out the door. "Hold your goddamn fire!", a voice shouted. A moment later, a white towel taped onto a cane was thrust through the open door and wiggled for good measure. "Hey Brotherhood! We know you're in the stairwell...we just want to talk!" "Come on in", Ernesto said, "I won't shoot so long as you don't try any bullshit."